Safe second or octo?

[ThatsMe]

What do most people use? At my local shop the push the safe second (reg + bc-inflater combo) over the octo.

 

[letterboy]

ever try to maintain proper bouyancy while breathing off of one os those things?? My LDS pushes those but i use a old school scubapro bungeed around my neck. nother good thing is there isn't that pull when you use something like the atomic SS1.

Just my .02

John

 

[Kestrell]

What do most people use? At my local shop the push the safe second (reg + bc-inflater combo) over the octo.

Octo for sure.

 

[ThatsMe]

ever try to maintain proper bouyancy while breathing off of one os those things?? My LDS pushes those but i use a old school scubapro bungeed around my neck. nother good thing is there isn't that pull when you use something like the atomic SS1.

Just my .02

John

nother good thing is there isn't that pull when you use something like the atomic SS1.
what you mean by that.... that was the model i was looking at.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Definitley get a real backup reg. In the ScubaDiving magazine tests, none of the integrated 'backups' did very good.

 

[String]

Both are usable but an octopus provides far more flexibility. Ive seen a lot more issues with Air-2/3s freeflowing and even falling apart than i have with the standard octopus.

 

[ThatsMe]

thanks

 

[letterboy]

nother good thing is there isn't that pull when you use something like the atomic SS1.
what you mean by that.... that was the model i was looking at.

When you breath from an air2 like the SS1 (Chosen because it's popular around here no other reason) the hose generally isn't as flexable as a regulator hose, IE pulls at your cheek and jaw when it is in your mouth.

John

This is my opinion and from my experiences only. . .

 

[Scubaroo]

I'd think outside the normal PADI school of thought and look at a bungeed backup around the neck. Your buddy gets a working regulator from your mouth guaranteed to be working, and you get a normal regulator that's easily accessible, always in the same place, and not clogged with sand or gunk from dangling (and not bashing into the bottom/coral/reef/whatever).

 

[David P]

I just had my second pool session today (first session was swimming almost a mile to make sure we wont drown!) A buddy who has had his Air 2 for about 5 years is in the class as a refresher. We were practicing OOA and swimming 25 meters with a buddy on your octo. All went well except my friend had a hard time seeing where he was swimming because the inflator hose is a bit too short for the safe second.

My instructor has a SS1 and he said he wasnt sure he liked it untill he had to use it when an experienced diver ended up OOA. After the stress test, my instructor highly recomends it. I asked him about the buyancy control while using. "Its easy, if your using it then there is an emergency and the only bouyancy your concerned with is going up at a safe speed"

FWIW